Portable container



1944. D. E. SPAULDING PORTABLE CONTAINER Filed Aug. 13, 1942 (Q aw Patented Nov. 14, 1944 UN ED STATES PATENT O E 2,362,852 PORTABLE CONTAINER DanielE. Spaulding, Syracuse,"N. Y., assignor'toj ContinentalGan Company, Inc.',' New York;

N. Y., a corporation of New York I Application August 13, 1942. Serial No. 454.697 i 2 Claims. (01. zap-+92) rThis invention relates to portable containers and more particularly to closed top containers equipped with carrying bails.

Conventionally constructed containers of the "classreferr'ed to are'equipp'ed with a generally semicircular bail extending across thecontainer and having its opposite'ends projected downwardly forconnection to mounting ears .secur'ed tothe container side wall or walls at a level some- "what below the top ofthe container. When the bail is not used for carrying; 'for example during storing or shipping of the container, the ball is folded down against the side of the container. This not only interferes somewhat withthecompact storing of containers. but is apt to result. in bending or otherwise damaging the bails, or in scratching or marring labels or markings on the container.

It heretofore has been proposed to eliminate or I minimize these difficulties by constructing and .rnounting the bail in such manner that when not in;,use it will be turned or folded down against the top of the container. 1 Still more particularly. the

present invention relates to this class of. bailequipped container construction and the general aim or purpose of the invention i to provide .an improved, simple, and strong construction in which a bail is so mounted on or connected to a container that when in use for carrying the considewall. I An object of theinvention is to provide a porable closed top container with a carrying bail so mountedon the container as to be capable of being folded down against the container top wall and below the top edge of the container side wall. Another object of the invention is to provide bail type carrying moans in combination with or especially suited for attachment toa container of the kind having a top and side wall seam connection which extends outwardly from the side wall to provide a flange, and to so construct the v carrying means as to'be easily attachable to the flange. A further object is to provide an externally flanged portable container and bail type carrying means therefor in which a bailis hinged to a pair of oppositely disposed bail anchors'secured to the container in a manner to engage exterior surfaces only of the container and preffrightjangles to Figure 7.

without extending across or around the container erably-to engage the bottom; outside, top, and inside faces ofithe container flange.

'Other objects will becomeapparent from a reading of the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawingp In the drawing:

Figure 1. is a perspective view of. a container and ball type carrying means embodying the invention', a part of the container side wall and bottom being broken away.

-a portion of'the-bail being shown in elevation. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3' but showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the modification shown in Figure 4.

Figure -6i's a fragmentary top plan-view of a container equipped with a bail anchor embodying a further modification.

' Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section through a container and showing in elevation the bail anchor shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 a fragmentary vertical section at In'the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures lto 3 inclusive, a bail generally desigfnated A is'hinged to bail anchor members B which are connected or secured in any suitable manner to a'container C.

The container includes a side wall I'Qand top and bottom walls"! and 3'secured to the side wall by double seams of, well known form shown rebelow the top of the side wall I, thereby providing a recess or depression 6 surrounded by the seam 4 or, otherwise stated, by the upper portion of the side wall I.

In accordance with the invention, the bail A is hinge-connected to the container within the depression 6 and is so shaped and. sized that when not in use for carrying the container, the bail may be folded down against the top wall 2 and to be then nested within the dperession 6 so asnot to protrude above the container. For so mounting the bail, the anchors B are connected s'pectively at! and 5. The top'wa1l'2 isdisposed' necting the portions 1 and 8 and being formed provided by the seam 4, thus snugly embracing and reinforcing the seam. Within thedepression 6 the attachin portions 1 and 8 are provided with horizontally extending portions I2 and. I3 which converge inwardly and merge in the I eye l0.

When the container is to be stored or shipped,

the bail A may be folded down to the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 wherein it is disposed within the depression 6 so as not to interfere with stacking or boxing of a plurality of containers. When a container is to be, carried individually, the bail is turned up to the positionshown in dotted lines in Figure 1 wherein it is disposed relatively to the container inithe same general manner as aconventional .carrying bail. I

The anchors B are stout enoughto reenforce the connection between the side and top walls :I and 2, thereby reducing the danger of damaging the seam 4 sufficiently to cause-a leak.

"The modified embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 includes a bail anchors 'B' -each =formed to include two attaching portions 1a and 8a and a connecting portion generally designated 9a formed with aneye Illa through which the associated bail eye II is looped.- -Ihe attaching portions 1a and 8a are the same as the attaching portions 1 and 8 described with reference to Figures' '1 to 3 but the connecting portions 9a are formed differently, Eachof the modified connecting portions includes a horizontal portion I4 extending from the attaching portion-8a within the depression 6 and in contact with the inside face of the seam 4. The attaching portion la has extending therefrom a horizontal portion projecting away from the inside'face of the seam. The horizontal portions 14 and l 5- merge in the eye Ina which lies substantially in a vertical plane radial with respect .to the containerC. Y y

In the modification shown in'Figures'B .and 7, the bail anchor B is provided with a single attaching portion 12) whic'h'is formed similarly to the attaching portions 'l, 8, 1a, and 8a previously described, engaging the seam flange in the same manner. A horizontal portion l6 extends from 'the attaching portion lb in contact with the flange inside face and is turned inwardly to form a horizontal portion 11 projecting away from the flange 4 and terminatingin'an open eye or hook 10b adapted to receive an eye "on the bail.

It will be observed that in both illustrative embodiments of the invention, the anchors are shaped to embrace the bottom, outside, top, and inside faces of the double seam 4, thereby securely attaching the anchors to the container and reenforcing the joint between the side and top walls I and 2, j

The constructions shown herein embody the invention in the forms now preferred, but it will lube understood that changes may be made with- "out departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. The combination with a container having a side wall, a top wall, and an outside seam connection between said Walls, said connection prolecting outwardly beyond said side wall, and said top wall being disposed below the top of said seam to provide a depression surrounded by said seam; of a bail type carrying means comprising two bail anchorsgsecu-red to said container at opposite sides thereof respectively, and a bail .hinged at its opposite ends to said anchors, each of said anchors comprising two attaching portions respectively engaging the bottom, outside, top, and inside faces of saidlseamat Doints'spaced circumferentially of said seam, one of said .attaching portions having extended therefrom a horizontal portion disposed within said depres- 30 'sion and in contact with the inside face of said seam, and the other of said attaching portions having extending therefrom a horizontal portion projecting away from said inside face of the seam", said two horizontal portions merging in an eye substantially in a plane radial with respect to the *container, opposite ends of said bail respectively being looped through the anchor eyes.

2. The combination with a container having a side wall, atop wall, and an outside rolled seam connection between said walls, said connection projecting outwardly 'beyond said side wall, and. :said top Wall being disposed below the top of said seam to prov'idea depression surrounded by 'said seam; of .a bail 'type carryingmeans comprising two bail anchors :secured to :said container at oppositetside's thereof respectively and contacting only exterior surfaces of said container, and a bailhinged at its opposite ends to saidanchors, each of said anchors comprising two attaching portions respectively engaging :the bottom, outside, top, .and inside faces of :said "seam at points spaced circumferentially of said seam, said attaching ,portions respectively having 55 projecting therefrom horizontal portions which converge towards each other and merge in an eye, opposite ends of "said 'bail respectively being 'looped through the anchor-eyes.

I I DANIEL E. SPAULDING. 

